How They Came To Be
by NJ7009
Summary: The prequel for the prequel. Have you ever wondered how each of the boys were saved by Jimmy? Well this story has all the answers. Rated T for blood and abuse for some of the boys.
1. Prologue

**This whole story takes place before the events of Neverland so the boys are still in London. However, it is not long before, maybe about a month. This will mainly be a flashback story although it will be the boys discussing each of the past events inbetween.**

**Hope you enjoy and I don't own Neverland or any of its characters, however the plot is mine.**

Curly fiddled shakily with the pack of matches as he attempted to light one, only for the cold harsh wind to blow it out. The boy hated winter. Especially since the heating wasn't the best inside the room where he and his six friends; Peter, Nibs, Fox, Twins, Tootles and Slightly slept and hung out.

"Curly!" Nibs called as he shivered, wrapping the blanket tighter over his shoulders. "Just give up already. You are wasting matches." Knowing his friend was correct, he sighed in defeat before he stood up from the old wooden chair and sat on his bed. Yip, he really hated winter...

"This is boring," complained Twins. Laying his head against the wall, his grey hat pushed down over his eyes. The youngest of the group of misfits was always one to complain, but maybe that came from his life before Jimmy had saved him. What a foul memory that was.

Fox glanced up from a book that he clutched in his two hands. "What do you want us to do about it Twins? We're snowed in and unless you have a shovel on you we are going to have to wait until the snow melts to go outside. Until then, you are going to have to entertain yourself." Twins glared at the boy before shutting his eyes, hoping that sleep would end his boredom.

Peter grinned cockily as he watched his very bored friends. That is when an idea sprung into his mind. "I know something we could do Twins," He grinned. All eyes were suddenly on him.

"Like what?" Slightly asked, sounding very grumpy. Tootles who sat opposite him snickered at his friend's grumpy attitude.

Peter rubbed his hands together as he stood up from his creaky chair. "Well boys, looks like its time for our stories"

"What do you mean 'our stories'?" Curly replied, eyes furrowed. A few moments passed and suddenly his face became that of worry. "But Twins is only eleven!"

Twins glared at the blonde. "I am thirteen."

"Since when?"

"Since two months ago." Curly frowned.

Tootles bit his lip in worry and disagreement. "Do we have to tell? I mean... I know we agreed to tell each other how we ended up here when Twins turned thirteen but I still get nightmares about it." Peter fixed his friend a comforting look before patting him comfortingly on the shoulder.

"Tootles, don't worry. Maybe talking about it will help." Tootles didn't look convinced but nodded towards the brunette.

The seven boys arranged themselves into a circle on the wooden floor, blankets covering their bodies.

Peter glanced around at the group. "Okay, I think it makes sense for whoever was rescued first to start."

"Just because you arrived last," Slightly muttered though Peter didn't hear him.

"So... who got here first?"


	2. Curly

**The italics is the flashback.**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter and thank you for reviewing**

All eyes fell on Curly who looked more than just a little nervous. "Curly?"

The blonde boy looked horrified as he waved his hands in dismissal. "You're joking. I am not going first!"

"Awww c'mon Curl's it will be over before you know it." Fox encouraged, the other boys nodding in agreement.

Curly cussed under his breath and sighed, "Fine!" Curly then cleared his throat. "Okay... where to start..."

"At the beginning would be a good idea."

Curly glared at Slightly. "Anyways, Jimmy rescued me when I was six years old at the bottom of Hackney canal."

X-X-X

_"You little maggot!" The fat shop owner cried in his ear as she led him towards Hackney canal, Curly fighting the woman's firm grip as she dragged him down the road. The six-year-old knew that his punishment for stealing bread from the woman would be more than a little severe and judging from the look on her face, she was going to kill him._

"Why did you steal from the woman?" asked Nibs.

"My family didn't have much so they only fed themselves. I had to get my own food. It wasn't that bad actually but this woman in particular had a strong hatred for robbers. It was always a risk stealing from her but if you did manage to steal successfully, then life would be like heaven for the next few days."

"And she caught you?" Twins guessed.

"Sort of. One of the customers saw me and tattled."

"That's horrible! Anyways continue." Fox turned his hand multiple time to show Curly to continue.

"Okay... well she wasn't very happy to say the least..."

_The woman held a sack in her left hand. It was a sack normally used for potatoes. The blonde wondered to himself what it was for, though it was no doubt going to be used for his punishment. They arrived at the canal a few minutes later. There was no people there since it was, now, midnight and the moon glittered on the clean surface of the water._

_Suddenly, Curly felt the woman grab his curly hair and pick him up off the ground. Him crying in agony as he literally dropped him into the sack. __The woman then grabbed some rope that was inside her pocket and tied it around his wrists and ankles. They were so tight that they made his hands and feet go purple. She then picked up some large rocks that were on the bank of the canal and secured them to the ropes so Curly was tied up with rocks secured to his wrists and ankles. He could barely move. "This will teach you to steal!" The woman screeched into his ear as she picked up the sack and threw it into the river, the top of the sack sealed shut but open enough to let water in._

Peter looked astonished. "She threw you in the river just for stealing!"

Curly nodded. "I actually prefered her trying to drown me than putting me in the orphanage, not to say that coming close to drowning was a good experience. It wasn't. But I would rather drown than go to that horrible place."

Twins smiled slightly, "I can relate."

"Anyways..."

_Water started to fill the sack almost immediately, making the six-year-old so cold that he struggled to breath. The sack then began to slowly sink to the bottom of the canal and more water flooded in. The boy was petrified. He believed whole-heatedly that he was going to die in that sack. Going to drown. And then he would be fished out of the river the next morning and dumped some place heartlessly and without any consideration or care. _

_The canal water was up to his chin now as he gasped for air. The cold winding him as he felt as though he was going to freeze, which he probably would if he remained in the canal for long enough. Curly tried to get out of the sack but the rocks secured to his wrists kept him still. __The water kept climbing however and with a final gasp for air, Curly was totally underwater. _

_Curly felt himself panic as he continued to try to free himself from the sack and once the rocks kept him still, he tried to get the rocks off his wrists. However, the ropes were tied extremely tightly. It was an impossible task._

_The curly-haired boy felt the world begin to blur as the lack of air started to make take its effect on him. He felt weak. The feeling of cold started to fade away as little black dots scattered across his vision. These dots soon became black blotches and from blotches, total blackness. Suddenly, he felt so weak that he lost the will to fight and then, he lost consciousness._

_"_You died!" Tootles exclaimed. Curly shook his head.

"No. I didn't die. I just lost consciousness. But I must have come close to dying. When I did regain consciousness, I met Jimmy..."

_Curly's eyes fluttered open about five minutes after he had lost consciousness. He was cold and the rocks were still attached to the ropes that were on his wrists and ankles but he wasn't in the sack anymore. He was on the bank by the end of the canal. The boy still felt horribly weak and helpless but he was alive. How? _

_A man was sat besides him wearing a grey bowler hat and a matching jacket, a pocket watch dangled out of his pocket and he seemed to be from the upper class rank of people. "Ahhh you're awake!" He said, mostly to himself. He was soaked and dripping with water. Had he saved him? _

_Curly watched the man with caution, unsure what to think of him. He seemed nice but most people he met seemed that way at first and they always ended up being horrible. But this man had saved him, shouldn't he show him a little gratitude? "Who are you?" Curly asked in a small weak voice._

_The man smiled at him comfortingly. "I am Jimmy. Who are you little lad?"_

_"Curly."_

_"Nice name kid."_

_"What do you want with me? Why did you save me?" Curly asked, unable to hold his many questions. _

_The man smiled. "I don't want anything from you and you can't think I would just let you drown now?" _

"...after that he took me back to this place. I kept waking up and expecting Jimmy to change or kick me out... but he never did. Not long after that Nibs showed up and then, the rest of you did." Curly finished his story with a very slight smile as his eyes became vacant, like he could see that old memory. Curly glanced up and was met with looks of shock and horror.

"Wow, you went through quite the rough time." Nibs concluded.

"Yeah..." Curly murmed.

Peter suddenly smiled largely. "On that note, who is going next?"


	3. Nibs

**Thanks so much for all the reviews guys. This is also probably my least favourite boy to write about so it will probably be the most OCC and weakest of all the boys' stories. This is mainly about his and Curly's reaction to meeting each other as I couldn't think of anything else to write for him. The other boys will be better though. Promise.**

_Spinning Mule_** was a machine that was used in factories during the 18th and 19th century to spin cotton and other fibres.**

_A Scavenger_** was a job given to young children which involved picking up pieces of cotton from beneath the Spinning Mule.**

X-X-X

Fox and Curly looked over at Nibs who had the same serious expression he always wore engraved into his features. "Nibs arrived second," Curly confirmed.

Nibs just nodded in agreement before he spoke. "Yes, I did, however there are some minor details that I must leave out. You would view me differently."

Peter smiled, "No we won't..."

"...Peter, don't say you won't if you don't know what I am talking about," Nibs responded bitterly. Nibs had always been like that towards most of the boys, besides Curly with whom he was closest with. He acted cold. Although he was a good person at heart, that didn't seem to change his heartless vibe.

Nibs glanced around at the group before he began. "All my life, I have had to work to keep alive and had to work tirelessly at that. Life has been hard. This started when I was just three years old. However, I met Jimmy when I was five. During the two years before I met him, I worked in a cotton mill and this is all you really need to know before I begin..."

X-X-X

_Five-year-old Nibs outstretched his arm beneath the machine, coughing as dust filled his lungs. Shutting his eyes, Nibs stretched his fingers out and grabbed the piece of cotton that lay on the ground a few metres away from him before getting out from beneath the Spinning Mule. The five-year old hated this job with a passion. It was dangerous (since they never turned off the machine when he was beneath it) unhygienic and caused a massive amount of pain for his back with all the leaning over he did. That wasn't all. He also had to work for sixteen hours a day where he barely made enough money to buy a loaf of bread._

"I thought it was against the law for children under fourteen to work in factories at that time," Twins stroked his chin as he tried to recall if he had heard or read differently.

Nibs nodded. "That's right, but factory owners would do anything to get more people to work for them and I needed money. So the owner snuck me in. Numerous times I was forced to hide beneath the machine for many hours when inspectors arrived to check on the conditions of the factory. They were pretty bad, but not bad enough to close the factory. Luckily, I never got caught."

"However, one day I left the factory but this is the part I mentioned earlier that I had to leave out..."

"Why? Was it that bad?" Peter crossed his arms as he pryed the dark-skinned boy for information. Nibs scowled.

"Yes, Peter. It was very bad what I did."

Fox, who was starting to seem just as curious as Peter now, spoke up. "Nibs. We are your friends. We won't judge you. Promise. Right boys?" Fox gestured to the rest of the group who nodded their heads and murmured 'Yeah's and 'Right'

Nibs glancing down at the floor. Curly heard him friend gulp. Then, the boy spoke. "I... um..." Nibs took a deep breath to calm himself. "I killed someone... I pushed one of the line monitors beneath the machine when he was hitting this little girl who looked as if she was about to pass out and his head got caught between the Roller beam and the carriage... and... well... let's just say his head got smashed in."

Nibs glanced up from the floor, fully expecting to see looks of disgust; horror and disbelief but those looks weren't there. Instead, his friends faces had smiles and looks of empathy. "Well done mate," Fox congratulated. Grabbing the surprised boy's hand and shaking it, a dazzling smile playing on his lips. "For teaching that bastard for hitting a kid."

Nibs raised a brow. "So me killing someone , bother you guys?"

Everyone shook their heads. "You had a good reason. You were protecting that girl. Not that killing someone was right," Tootles explained.

The dark-skinned boy just gave them a look of disbelief. "Well okay then... well anyways, I left that factory because of that so I now had no job or money. Since I never knew my parents, I took to the streets and started looking for work. However, most places by now no longer employed children and that brings me to how I met Jimmy."

_The five-year-old glanced up at the Fencing Academy with awe, amazed by the building. It seemed so homely to him. The cherry red bricks, clean windows and the words 'White Chapel Fencing Academy' might not make the building that interesting but it was like stepping into heaven for the five-year-old. This would be an awesome place to work everyday. He just hoped they employed and had a position for a child his age. The boy couldn't fence, but maybe he could clean or something. He was good at cleaning thanks to his work at the factory. _

_The dark-skinned boy opened the door, feeling anticipated and a little worried. He had been turned down for so many jobs that he now couldn't afford food. If he didn't get a job fast he would surely starve. _

_Inside the building was a large room and there was a tall man in a black jacket and matching bowler hat with a young child. The child looked slightly older than him with a lot of blonde curly hair. _

"Fair play, your hair hasn't changed much Curly." Nibs laughed as he punched his best friend's shoulder playfully. Curly laughed.

"I don't think my name would make much sense if I changed it."

"Fair point."

_The man and the child were both holding swords. Though, Nibs wasn't much of a fencer so he didn't know what they were called. "Okay Curly, this time I want you to move your feet. If this was a real fencing match then you wouldn't just stand stock still. You would try to move. So, this time, when you attack me move forward as well." The man instructed as they both readied their swords. The boy who Nibs' guessed name was Curly nodded._

_The boy suddenly starting walking forward as he swung the sword at the man. The man backing away as the boy continued to attack him. When the man's back hit the wall the boy stopped. "Well done." The man congratulated. "That is enough for today." Curly nodded in response. That is when Curly noticed him standing at the door._

_"Jimmy. There is someone here." He murmured to the man whose name was Jimmy. The man glanced over at him. _

_"Hello," He greeted warmly. Nibs suddenly felt extremely awkward. He wasn't a fan of attention. "Do you need help with something?" _

_The dark-skinned boy gulped, his hands starting to shake. It wasn't an easy task to ask for a job. The thought itself even made him cringe. Jimmy however, seemed to read him like a book. "You need a job don't you?" The man guessed with a smile. "I can tell by how skinny you are." _

_"Yeah," The boy replied in a monotone voice. The boy was good at hiding his emotions, a trait that became stronger as he increased in age. Jimmy smiled a little wider. _

_"Well, little lad, why don't you come over here for a moment and fence with Curly while I check if we have anything open. Don't worry about not being able to fence. Curly is a beginner also but he knows the basics. He should be able to help you._

_Curly stepped forward and nodded towards Jimmy as he vanished out of the room and into the basement. There was a moment of silence as both boys just stared at each other, like they were trying to guess what the other's personality was. It was Curly who broke the silence. "Have you fenced before?" He asked, sounding just as awkward as Nibs felt. The dark-skinned boy shook his head. "Okay then." _

_Curly walked over to a chest in the corner of the room and picked up a sword before tossing it to the latter, Nibs just about caught it. "I have only just started learning so I am not the best but I can teach you what I know." The boy seemed a little weary of him but Nibs felt mutual so it didn't really matter. _

"Wait... so you and Curly didn't trust each other immediately?" Fox sounded surprised. Both boys nodded.

"We actually didn't trust each other for a long time. Only about two months before you arrived did we start trusting each other fully. By then, it had been almost a year." Curly admitted.

_After Curly showed him how to hold the sword and what to do, a fencing match began. At first, Nibs wasn't very good. Curly would beat him in a matter of seconds. However, he soon started to get better untill he could last a decent about of time with Curly. It was actually pretty fun. That is when Jimmy walked back into the room. _

_"Well... I am sorry I didn't catch you name."_

_"Its Nibs," Nibs replied._

_"Thanks. Well Nibs, I am afraid I don't have any positions for a job open at the moment. However, you are free to stick around for a bit until you get a job." _

_Though he was disappointed about not getting a job, he was also happy about having a shelter for a few nights. So, he gratefully excepted Jimmy's offer._

X-X-X

"...I did eventually get a job but... I don't know. I guess leaving just never happened. So, I stayed around and that is the end of the story."

The boys smiled at the dark-skinned boy as he finished his tale. "See, that wasn't so bad." Peter grinned. Nibs nodded his head slightly.

"Yeah I guess your right."

Fox glanced down at the floor." I guess it is my turn now then, eh?"

**The other boys will be much better. It is just that I couldn't think of anything to write for Nibs. I like the other boy's backgrounds though and I think you will prefer the other boy's too**


	4. Fox

**Thanks so much for all your support and feedback guys and I hope you like this chapter.**

The other boys nodded. "You arrived next!" chuckled Slightly.

"Brilliant," Fox muttered before straightening up his body. The other boys leaned closer to the tallest of the group. "This story, lads, is the best story you have ever going to hear. So, don't be upset when you realise how miserable your lives were," Fox joked with a sarcastic tone to his voice. Most of the boys snickered or at least smiled but Tootles remained silent; glancing at the floor as he stared at his intertwined fingers. Peter noticed this and gave him a look of concern which the boy didn't seem to notice. What was wrong with that kid?

Fox grinned widely as he began. "Okay, unlike you lot, I was grew up on the streets of London, so I have always been a pickpocket and that used to get me into the worst kind of trouble. I even got close to being nicked and placed in the Clink a few times, but I would always got out trouble in the end. However, this little pickpocket thing is actually what introduced me to Jimmy, Curly and Nibs. Though, lets just say we weren't so friendly to one another when we first met. It all began on May the 23rd..."

X-X-X

_Nine-year-old Fox was, to many of his peers, the most cunning; sly and mischievous boy on the streets of London. This trait was actually what gave him his name. Fox. Or as his friends liked to call him, 'The City Fox' For he was the closest thing to a Fox on the streets of London. _

_Fox was also extremely sly which is actually what made him one of the best pickpockets out of the children who were involved in the dangerous pickpocket business. _

X-X-X

"Did you like being a pickpocket?" asked Peter who was very interested in his friend's adventurous life. Peter loved any kind of adventure as he had stated on many occasions. He had a strange thirst for it like it was some sort of drink that when drunk, would make him feel more alive than ever before.

Fox paused, biting his lip as he tapped his chin. After a little while, he spoke again. "Honestly, no. I still don't really. It is not a very good thing to do and is an extremely dangerous life. I would rather something better than that but I guess it could have been worse." Peter looked a little disappointed with his friend's answer.

"Danger is what makes it exciting..." Peter mumbled.

X-X-X

_Fox got most of the things he needed through pickpocketing and that included things like shoes, clothes, medicine, money and food and water. So, because of this, Fox never had a job. He never really needed one in truth. Pickpocketing treated his needs and the abandoned dusty shops that resided on the filthy streets of London sometimes provided him with shelter (Depending on what part of London he was in as he travelled a lot) He didn't need anything else._

_Since pickpockets worked best in groups, Fox worked with three other pickpockets by the names of Sam; a boy his age who had next to no stealth. He was normally used as a distraction. Alana; a girl who at the age of seventeen, had a bigger criminal record than anyone Fox had met before. She was good for the people who kept their belongings in hard to reach places like pockets and finally, there was Liam. Liam was the person Fox was closest with as they were normally partnered together. Liam had the same ability he did. Being quick and unknowing when he stole. A prime example of a top pickpocket and he was only twenty._

X-X-X

"You never mention them," Twins realised as he thought about the descriptions Fox had given for his past comrades. He had never even mentioned his past friends before and even now his description was light. He hadn't even said what they looked like.

Fox's expression suddenly became dark. "Yeah well..."

After a little while, Fox smiled at the youngest of the boys before he continued. "The day I met Jimmy was just another normal day at the start. We stole some goods, mostly food, from the wealthy, ate it, then went out looking for more. It was a pretty simple routine and there was nothing special about it. But that is when things went a bit wrong, or went _seemingly_ wrong, for me..."

X-X-X

_Fox slipped his hand into an elderly man's pocket as Sam acted like he was bleeding to death. Red make-up was smeared all over his body (Which looked extremely realistic) and he lay still on the ground; causing a worried crowd. Though Fox hated to admit it, the boy was a good actor. Fox tightened his fingers when he felt leather beneath his fingertips and pulled the wallet out of the pocket, the man not even feeling it. Success._

_Fox waved his hand into the air to signal to Sam that he had got something. Sam winked back before continuing his act. Fox glanced over to Liam who was putting a pair of diamond earings and a pearl necklace into his jacket pocket. Alana was placing some apples into her pockets. So far, so good. _

_The nine-year-old glanced over to the rest of the crowd when he saw a man near the back of the crowd with a cane in hand, a black bowler hat and matching jacket. A golden chain of a pocket watch was visible from his trousers. That could be a good thing to steal considering the watch had a coating of gold. However, it looked difficult. There were two children at his side, no older than seven, which may see him if the man didn't but what was life without a few risks?_

_Fox stayed low as he slipped through the crowd. They were too busy watching Sam's little act to notice him and soon he was behind the man. He didn't think the man had seen him yet. Neither had the two boys. So, he proceeded onwards. _

_Closer and closer he got to the man and the watch. He was now right behind him. The boy stretched out his hand and tried to grab the chain..._

_Suddenly, the man turned around with such speed that he was nothing more than a blur and grabbed him by the mouth so that he couldn't scream as pressed his cane against the child's back. All three of the young boys jumped. _

X-X-X

"So that is what you were doing. And here I thought Peter was risky and didn't know when enough is enough! You could have stopped or gone for an easier target, but no! You were just as bad as he is now." Curly exclaimed, a sense of honesty slipping into his tone.

Peter scowled at his friend and rival. "As I have said before, danger is what makes it exciting, Curly. Don't be so boring!" However, it was clear Curly didn't agree with Peter's view on the matter. His expression revealed that much.

X-X-X

_"A pickpocket? I should have known!" Jimmy exclaimed as Fox fidgeted, shaking terribly._

_"Let go of me!" Fox yelled, though his voice was almost completely silenced by Jimmy's hand, "Help!" Fox felt fear grip him in a tight hold, clinging to his nerves. He was so scared he felt like his knees were going to buckle beneath him and he must have looked like a ghost as he could feel his face paling. Something he normally couldn't feel. Fox's shaking was also beyond control. It was the largest fright he had ever experienced in his whole nine-year-old life._

_"Jimmy!?" The blonde boy with curly hair yelled in surprise. "What are you doing? You are not seriously going to harm him are you? You might be put in the Clink if you do!" Both Fox and Jimmy knew he was referring to the cane. __Somehow, none of the crowd or any of his friends had noticed this going on and were still engrossed in their activities. _

_Jimmy glared at the nine-year old before placing the cane back into his jacket and instead, grabbed Fox's brown hair with his other hand. Fox instantly scrunched his eyes closed in pain as he tried to pull Jimmy's hand off his head. The man had a strong grip. The dark-skinned boy who had watched all this remained silent. _

X-X-X

"Ahhh Nibs, will you ever change?" Fox chuckled.

Nibs laughed though it was pretty forced and weak.

X-X-X

_"What are you doing? Let go of me!" Fox screamed at the top of his lungs as Jimmy pressed his fragile body against the wall. Though Fox got more food every other day, he didn't get much food (normally an apple or two) when he did so he was a rather weak and skinny child. You could even see his hip bones and ribs beneath a thin blanket of skin. Fox's screams were, once more, muffled by Jimmy covering his mouth. "Please let me go!"_

_"What were you trying to steal?" Jimmy demanded as he gestured to Curly to check Fox's pockets. He did so hesitantly and found the leather wallet, a few pieces of jewelry, an orange and a banana. _

_Fox gulped. Something about the vibe of the man sent great fear through his form and this made him feel so very small. "Your watch," Fox admitted quietly as he stared at the floor. Jimmy letting go of his mouth for a moment to hear him speak. How could he have been so stupid to get himself nicked? Why did he have to risk getting the watch when he knew it was unlikely that he would successfully receive it? He was done for. He was going to the clink. These fear filled thoughts felt odd in his head as he was normally very confident. He was far from the boy he normally was now. _

_Jimmy took out the watch from his pocket by the chain and dangled it in front of him. "This watch?" _

_"Yes."_

_Jimmy looked at it before putting it into his pocket again. That is when his grip loosened on the boy's hair. Fox felt instant relief. "The trick to being a pickpocket," Jimmy began, not letting Fox away from the wall quite yet. "Is knowing who to target. I was a bad target. A lot of people had the chance to see you. While he," Jimmy pointed to a man a few metres away from him. He was standing alone. "Is a good target. Do you understand?" _

_Fox raised a brow. "You are a pickpocket?" _

_"I was!" _

_"Really?"_

_"Yes, I was when I was younger." _

_"Oh... you seem to know a lot about it." _

_"That is what happens when you have done it for years." _

_"You did it for years?"_

_"Yes. Twelve years to be precise. How long have you been doing it lad?" _

_"Seven." _

_"Really? You only look nine!"_

_"I am nine!" _

_"Wow... you started young. Where are your parents?"_

_Fox faltered at the question. His mother had died giving birth to him and his father had disappeared soon after. He was raised by nurses and later placed into an orphanage which he escaped. That is when he became a pickpocket. "Gone!" Fox said rather vaguely. _

_Fox didn't know why but the vibe of threat was gone. The man who went by the name of Jimmy seemed like someone he could trust. Yet, he was a total stranger. It made very little sense. "Are you going to turn me in?" Fox asked after a while, a little more fear creeping up inside of him. _

_Jimmy shook his head. "No." A comforting smile erupted on Jimmy's face. "Say? You don't happen to have anywhere to live do you?" Fox shook his head. "Good. Say? How would you feel if I offered you to stay with me. It would be good to have a pickpocket to train and you could teach these two," Jimmy gestured to a very shocked Curly and Nibs, "the art." _

_Fox bit his lip. He would be lying if he said the offer wasn't tempting. It was. Imagine not living on the streets and having to freeze during winter's nights, imagine not having to thieve for his own health, imagine actually having food on the table each night without any effort? All this was possible if he accepted. However, he couldn't just leave his friends. He also wasn't sure he could trust this stranger._

X-X-X

"It was a hard decision but I eventually decided to go with Jimmy. My friends were far from happy and unfriended me soon after. When I first arrived here nobody really trusted me. That was untill I taught Curly and Nibs the art of pickpocketing and Jimmy trained me. Trust sort of came from that." Fox finished with a gasp for air. "That was a mouthful."

The group laughed.

Peter, like he had the past three times opened his mouth to speak when Fox cut him off. "Tootles arrived next, Peter. You don't need to repeat that same sentence every time."


	5. Tootles

Tootles glanced at the floor when all eyes suddenly fell on him, he remained mute. In his mind, a small voice was screaming at him not say anything and wish this situation away. However, Tootles knew wishing didn't work. At least not for him. He had learnt that many years ago. The only time wishing would ever get him what he wanted would be once he went to Neverland but at this point he hadn't even heard of the place. He was still in London, and he was going to have to admit to his darkest memories now. His past. There was no escape.

"Toots?" Peter asked when Tootles didn't say a word, using Tootles' famous nickname. "You beginning the story?" Tootles gulped, trying to dispel his fear but failing miserably. Something all the boys noticed was how pale their friend had gone.

"Are you feeling okay Toots, you look a little pale." Fox commented, patting him on the shoulder.

"Umm... y-yeah." Tootles stammered, his voice cracking. His british accent causing the 'a' to disappear out of the word 'Yeah.'

Though all the boys could see the fresh fear inside their friend's eyes, they all decided it was best not to mention it. For many years, Tootles' mind had been wracked with dreams of his past and he ended up waking up all the boys with his constant screaming most nights. He never would say what his dreams included (though they knew it was about his past) stating that he shouldn't untill Twins turned thirteen. That they all shouldn't mention their pasts untill then.

They all wanted answers on Tootles' past but whether Tootles would calm down enough to give them the answers they so badly wanted was another matter.

Tootles glanced up very slowly. "I guess... I thought this moment would never come..." He whispered so quietly none of the boys heard him.

"Hmmm?" Slightly questioned.

Tootles gulped again, "Just please... If I tell you, promise not to bring this matter up again."

Everyone glanced at each other nervously before nodding. Tootles took a shaking breath, "Okay... well... lets just say I have not had the best early childhood..."

X-X-X

"You little bastard!" A plump woman screamed into Tootles' ear as she threw him across the room, causing the six-year old to slam his head into a nearby wall before falling limply to the floor. "How dare you burn the bread! Do you know how much the ingredients cost?!"

"I am sorry, mother," Tootles whimpered as he rubbed his head. "I didn't mean to."

"You never mean to!" The woman who was the boy's biological mother, "That is why you are such an idiot. 'Watch the bread, don't burn it!' I said that did I not? Yet you still managed to burn it!"

"Mother, I'm sorry. You asked me to clean, so I couldn't keep an eye on it." Tootles tried to explain, feeling overwhelming fear wash over him. His mother was a terrifying woman and she scared most of the neighbours with her dominant personality. Even though most of the neighbours could see the boy's bruises from his regular beatings and wished to help, his mother would scare them into doing nothing.

"Are you making excuses?!" The woman screeched as she picked the young boy up off the floor by his hair and brought a knife she had held to his throat. "How I loath it when you make excuses."

X-X-X

"That woman is mental," Fox commented with a face full of horror as he leaned backwards slighty. "Who would bring a knife to someone's throat just for burning bread?"

"Is that a rhetorical question?" Curly asked. "Because I can name a few."

"Anyywwaayyss... Toots, could you continue," Peter smiled at Tootles who seemed troubled.

X-X-X

Tootles, driven by fear and adrenalin, suddenly kicked the woman square in the stomach before bolting out the door. The woman hissed in agony as he ran off and muttered cuss words beneath her breath as she heard the door slam, signalling Tootles had ran out the building.

Outside, Tootles felt close to breaking down in tears. That woman was going to kill him, he was sure of it. He had to leave. Leave and never return. But how was he going to do it? He had no idea how to make a living or how to live on the streets. He had always lived with that damned woman. Even if they both had a strong dislike for one another she did give him shelter and food and water.

The young boy continued down the cobbled street; the night air whipping at him and causing chills to shoot through his body. Tootles was a very outdoorsy person, but he was not a fan of the bitter cold. Especially when it was below zero which it was in this case. His torn, too small and fragile clothes almost tore in the harsh wind as he decided to sit down in front of some shop window which showed models of people wearing clothes. Though he wasn't very interested in it.

Resting his bruised head against the window, the boy stared up at the stars and prayed inwardly for a miracle. Snow pattered down on the pavement and some of it brushed against his pale skin, resulting in a few more chills to shoot through his body.

Closing his eyes, Tootles fell into a deep sleep...

X-X-X

"Wow!" Fox commented somewhat awkwardly as silence filled the room. Everyone just glared at him.

"Shut it, Fox!" Twins told the elder boy. "You aren't helping things."

Tootles glanced down at the floor, though inside his mind, he was thinking back to the painful memories of his beatings. How they had hurt him. Though, he didn't really want to delve into details on that matter so he left that out of his story. Tootles sighed before a very weak smile fell upon his face. "Things looked up after that night though..."

X-X-X

When Tootles awoke the next day, he was surprised to see that he wasn't out on the streets like where he had fallen asleep. Instead he was in some sort of building... Wait... how did he get here? It was pretty cold wherever he was but it was still warmer than out on the streets.

Glancing around, he took in the red brick walls and old furniture. The smell of dust filled his nostrils, causing him to cough weakly.

"Your awake," a voice said causing Tootles to jump. Scanning his eyes around the room frantically he soon saw a man sitting on a wooden chair opposite the sofa he was laying on. The man wore a grey boler hat with a matching suit and had a smile playing on his face. In his hand was a fencing sword and a golden watch chain was visible from his right pocket. His shoes were black and sparkly clean. He seemed rich.

Tootles just stared at the man. "You are lucky I was walking through town last night. Someone could have kidnapped you, silly boy!" The man continued on, walking closer to Tootles before kneeling besides the sofa.

Tootles felt his heart rate quicken as his skin paled. "What do you want?" He asked nervously. "Why have you taken me here?"

"Don't worry, I won't harm you and if you don't believe me, don't you think I would have done last night if I did wish that?" The man explained, reading the boy's mind like an open book.

Tootles gave him a confused look. "Then why did you take me here?"

The man smiled, "I have kinda started a business." He began. Tootles' eyes widened. He was a factory owner wasn't he? "I have rescued kids and been giving them a home here for the past year and I think you could be one of those kids. Unless if you have a home, that it?"

The boy bit his lip. What an odd man. He was so trusting... it soothed his nerves slightly. The man then extended his hand out to him and smiled a little wider. "I am James Hook, but you can call me Jimmy."

Tootles smiled as he shook his hand gingerly. "I am Tootles."

X-X-X

"... and that's it," Tootles finished with a breath of relief, glad that it was over. The boys smiled at him, knowing that it had been hard for him to talk about his tormenting past. "Slightly arrived next."


	6. Slightly

"Slightly arrived next."

"You grass," Slightly muttered as the boys turned to look at him. None of them could deny that they were enjoying finding out about their friends' pasts, however, it was not very fun to tell the tale. None of them had been given a very nice younger childhood and most of them just wanted to forget about it. "Oh well, I suppose mine isn't too bad, I guess."

"That's the spirit!" Peter jeered, pounding his fist in the air.

Slightly scowled, "You are SOOO going to get it once its your turn!"

X-X-X

Slightly jabbed the grain pile with a metal rod and tried to loosen the pile and cause it to fall to the bottom so it could be shovelled. However, his weak arms and small body made this rather difficult. His head was pounding from the many hours he'd been inside this silo and his arms and back ached horribly. Life working in a silo was far from pleasant.

A silo was a place used for storing bulk materials, like grain, and was very tall and made entirely of metal. The seven year old's job was to work inside the silo and jab the pile of grain that got bunched up in the corner of the silo and try to cause it to fall so it could be shovelled out. However, this was a dangerous, boring and tiring job. Slightly was constantly trying to avoid getting crushed by many tons of grain that got placed in the silo while he worked and had come close to being killed more than once.

Three of his friends who used to work at this farm had gotten crushed and killed.

The tiring part came in by the amount of effort it took to free the grain. The grain was damp, difficult to move given his age and constantly stuck to the walls of the silo just to make his job even harder. The only way he could free the grain was to jab it with a metal rod.

X-X-X

"Did your arms go numb after a while?" Twins asked.

Slightly nodded. "Yip!"

"Not surprising," Nibs added.

X-X-X

After a while of working in the silo one day, the farmer owner called him out to speak with him. Slightly didn't need to get told twice and was out of the storage room within a minute. His metal rod clasped in his left hand. "What is it sir?" Slightly asked the farmer once he stood in front of him. Standing straight to show respect to his employer.

The owner of the farm was an old man, around the age of seventy or eighty, with many wrinkles and a bored expression on his face. The man had a high craving for respect and wouldn't hesitate to use the cane on Slightly if this respect even faltered slightly. The man stared at Slightly with the same bored expression he always wore.

He didn't reply to Slightly's question, instead, he stepped aside and a man wearing a black suite, a boler hat and a pocket watch appeared from behind him. He held a thin, black painted cane in his hand. "This is Mr Hook," Slightly's employer stated bluntly. "Mr Hook, Fatty!" Slightly glanced down at the cruel nickname.

Despite the amount of respect Slightly gave his employer, the farmer gave very little respect in return. He didn't even refer to him by his name. He just called him 'Fatty'. Sure, Slightly was a rather chubby child but not chubby enough to deserve the nickname of Fat. "So this is Slightly?" The stranger asked. Slightly nodded. "Mr Smith, are you sure you don't want this one? He seems like a hard worker."

The farmer chortled. "Hmm... You can have him. You gave me a good price for him." Slightly felt confusion swirl within him. What on earth were they talking about? Had he been sold or something? He bit his lip in thought that is when it hit him. Of course! He must've been flogged to another business owner.

It was strangely common for children like him, who don't have parents, to get sold to a different business owner for a set price. For this price, Slightly would stop being employed by this farm owner, become an employee for the person who'd bought him and work wherever this stranger wanted him too, whether it was a factory, farm or something else.

But the question was, which place did this stranger who he'd been flogged to have in mind. Judging from his attire he seemed like a factory owner. Great. Slightly really didn't want to work in a factory. "Fair enough," Mr Hook approached Slightly's side and gave him a blank expression. "I'll be leaving then. Judging that he has no belongings."

Both the farmer and Slightly shook their heads. "Okay, bye, Mr Smith."

"Bye, Mr Hook"

"Pleasure doing buissness with you."

The pair left the farm in utter silence, not breathing a word to each other until they reached a car parked at the bottom of the farm path. Mr Hook gestured for him to go inside and he did as he was told and hopped in. Feeling slighty excitement building inside him. He'd never been in a car before. However, there wasn't just himself and Mr Hook in the car. There were also four other young boys all squashed into the back seat.

"How did it go, Jimmy!" The tallest boy exclaimed as Mr Hook stepped in the car.

"He bought it," Mr Hook smiled. The four boys high-fived as they laughed. Slightly couldn't help but feel nervous. Who had bought what? Mr Hook turned to Slightly and smiled. "I am sorry but I have not properly introduced myself. I am Mr James Hook. However, you may call me Jimmy." Slightly nodded but he didn't reply. Jimmy noticed this and smiled in a more comforting manner. "So your name is Slightly?"

"Yes."

"Nice to meet you," The pair shook hands. "Okay then Slightly, from here on, you won't be working in a farm."

Slightly gulped.

"You are going to live with us."

"Huh?"

X-X-X

"...and that is the end of my story."

Peter grinned at his friend. "That wasn't too bad! You were right!" Peter turned to Twins. "So you were the last person to arrive before me?"

"Yip."


	7. Twins

**Michael (do you know where I got that name from?) is Tootles. I sometimes swap between the two... hope that isn't too confusing.**

"So you were the last person to arrive before me?" Peter turned to face Twins.

"Yip," He replied. Unlike most of the others, he didn't seem too bothered by the concept of explaining his past. However, he wasn't exactly eager either. "Okay, I lived in the Orphanage and then I was brought here. The end." Twins smiled.

Fox grabbed him by the back of his collar in a playful way. "Oh no, Twins. Don't just give us a vague idea. We all gave a decent story," He chuckled.

Twins threw his hands up and laughed. "Okay, fine... Well, as I said before, I was brought up in an orphanage..."

X-X-X

Michael and Leo were the twins of the orphanage on Vine Street. The youngest, Michael, was a small boy with a cheery personality and a knack for getting into trouble. The oldest, Leo, was also small with a much more sarcastic personality and was very studious and smart. Both boys had brown hair and blue eyes and, despite being opposites in personality, were very much identical. Making them identical twins.

In the orphanage, they were both referred to by the name 'Twins' as nobody was able to tell them apart besides when one seen studying or causing havoc. This name was one Michael kept long after he left the orphanage...

X-X-X

"So your name used to be, Michael?" Peter inquired as Twins mentioned that Michael had changed his name later in life. Twins nodded.

"Yip. But don't start calling me that. Nobody has called me Michael for ages! Only my brother used to call me that!" Twins stopped and glanced downwards, an expression of sorrow embedded on his face.

Fox rested a gentle hand on the boy's shoulder and smiled softly. "What happened to your brother?" Twins looked up at his tallest friend.

"I was about to get to that. Anyways, the person who ran the orphanage didn't like me and my brother very much because of all the trouble I caused..."

X-X-X

"You swine! Get back here you maggot!" Mr Sweet, the owner of the orphanage, screamed as he chased Michael/Twins down the hallway, Michael laughing the entire distance. Mr Sweet was a very strict man with circular spectacles, a bald head and many wrinkles. More importantly, he hated children (Michael in particular) for all the trouble he caused within his orphanage.

Today, Michael had spilled gas all over Mr Sweet's much-loved vegetable patch, destroying the harvest; for revenge after the man caned him for laughing when the man spoke to him. Michael was too naïve to understand how much power Mr Sweet held over him and how easily he could toss him and his brother on to the street for his behaviour. After all, Orphanages were scarce at this time and he and his brother could be easily replaced.

That is strangely what happened that very day.

Mr Sweet caught him, screamed at him, caned him, then threw him and his brother out of the orphanage building. Throwing their belongings soon after. Michael could always remember the look his brother, Leo, had on his face that day. That disgusted look as he picked up his bag, walked towards a nearby street alley before he put down his things.

Michael/Twins also remembered the confusion he had felt as he trotted over to his brother and sat opposite him. "Why are we in here?" Twins had asked, gesturing to his surroundings.

Leo stared at his younger brother with an annoyed expression. "Camping," He said sarcastically. Twins frowned.

"But it is cold out here, couldn't we do it another night?" Twins/Michael asked.

"No."

"But why-"

"Just no, Michael." And that was that.

As days of 'Camping' turned to weeks and weeks to months, Michael and Leo learned the art of pickpocketing. Though the amount they stole was small, it was enough to support them and keep them alive (though, not necessarily healthy) However, as they were getting the hang of things, that was when the worst happened...

Leo came down with Scarlet fever.

Michael, though he was young, knew perfectly what Scarlet fever was... and what the fate of those who got the disease was. Death. He also knew it was a highly contagious disease and that he, along with his brother, would die if Michael decided to stay at his side. That was when James Hook appeared on the scene.

It was a cold Winter night. The sky was dark and cloudless while the moon shone dully before the starless sky. London's streets were empty and lifeless, besides him, his brother and few other homeless people, and even then they were all motionless. Leo's head was propped up against the alley way wall which they had remained in since they were thrown out of the orphanage. He was very ill now, very near death, and it took all of Michael's will not to approach his brother.

Michael also knew, if he got close enough or touched anything of his brother (possessions included) then he would also come down with Scarlet Fever and die. Michael was afraid. Afraid for his elder brother's life but he knew that there was no adverting the inevitable by fretting about it. His brother was going to die whether he liked the idea or not. There was no cure for Scarlet fever and he couldn't afford any cure even if there was one.

James Hook had found Twins/Michael in the street alley, throwing food for his brother down they alley way though the older boy was too weak to move to grab most of the food thrown. He recognised the symptoms of Scarlet fever immediately and stepped away from the alley, but kept watching the boys.

Michael didn't notice the man at first and neither did Leo.

Leo crumpled to the floor in a weak heap, unable to get up or move at all. His breath hitched for a moment and then, without a word or even a sound, he stilled. Dead. Just like that.

James watched, fascinated slightly, as the younger boy glanced at his brother slightly shocked before he turned away. "Leo..." He murmured. A moment passed and at first, Jimmy thought the boy was unsure if his brother had died due to his lack of response. However, that is when he heard the boy's soft gentle sobs...

X-X-X

"...Jimmy walked over to me and told me to get away from my brother and at first, I refused, but he managed to talk me into it. Neither of us wanted to move Leo in case we caught the fever but I still wanted to bury him. In the end, another person with Scarlet fever who slept on the street that night picked him up and placed him on the top of a hill which me and Leo used to go to when we were younger. We buried him there... after that, Jimmy took me in."

Tootles frowned, feeling a nasty feeling in the back of his throat at that story. He pitied the boy. Losing his brother - his twin brother - and without a word of warning from the kid. How sad.

Peter clapped his hands to catch the saddened boys' attention. "Alright you ugly mugs, time for my story!"

**One chapter left now**


	8. Peter

Peter clapped his hands to catch the saddened boys' attention. "Alright you ugly mugs, time for my story!"

Tootles shot him an annoyed look. "You aren't very sensitive are you, Peter?" He said, crossing his arms in disapproval.

"I'm so going to enjoy this!" Slightly grinned excitedly, leaning towards his leader eagerly. "C'mon then Peter! Start talking! Tell us about how you ended up with Jimmy." Slightly's voice was taunting, clearly wishing for payback for all the times Peter had made him and his friends tell their pasts.

Peter chuckled in a guilty way while scratching the back of his head, "Well... you guys were there for half of it."

Twins rested a hand on his chin in thought, trying to remember what his leader was taking about when something clicked in his head. "Oh yeah! You were in the middle of getting a kick in when we and Jimmy visited a workhouse. Jimmy saw you and saved you. I remember!"

Fox bit his lip and his eyebrows furrowed. "Then, why were you in that place? Why were you getting a kick in?"

Peter straightened up, "Well..."

X-X-X

The workhouse on 19 Bow Street was an old dusty place and was far from pleasant. At least in nine-year old Peter's opinion; then again, he was known as the 'punch bag' to the owner of the workhouse and his right hand men.

"Hayy, Punch Bag, come over here for a minute." The owner of the workhouse requested as Peter was cleaning beneath one of the biggest machines. The machine was so loud that Peter couldn't hear his boss and so, he kept cleaning. "Punch Bag! Are you ignoring me?"

Peter kept scrubbing beneath the machine, his focused face making him seem like he was actually ignoring his boss. Angered, his boss stomped over to him and grabbed his ankles which jutted out from beneath the machine. Surprised the nine-year old let out a squeak and pulled away from his boss; causing the man to fall to the ground.

Although the boss was uninjured and managed to dodge the whirl of the machines, he was now fuming. He believed that Peter had tried to kill him so he dragged the boy out from beneath the machine by his hair. "Ow, Ow, Ow! I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Peter apologised and yelped again and again; his hands gripping his hair like the boy was scared it was going to get ripped off.

The boss leaned closer to Peter's small ears and hissed. "Alright, Punch Bag. I'm having a visitor today so I will postpone your punishment for now; although, I'm thinking about dipping your hands in hot acid for what you just tried to do."

Peter shuddered, remembering the last time that happened to him. His hands had stung for a month and he was certainly not excited for having, yet, another experience with the acid.

Peter's boss was far from a kindly man. He was strict, smug, impolite and aloof; particularly towards Peter and god how the brunette hated him. Never once had Peter seen his boss show sympathy when someone was hurt by the machines or even killed. He just stared at the injured/dead body with a blank look while it was carried out by other workers and Peter hated him because of this.

X-X-X

"Nice man, then," Tootles said, his hands in his hands.

Peter nodded. "Lovely," He muttered sarcastically. "Anyway, I was told I couldn't misbehave by my boss and I honestly was planning to do it; after all, I was already in trouble. But things went a little differently"

X-X-X

A hard punch came to Peter's cheek rather suddenly and he fell flat on his back. Another moment later, a punch came to his stomach; winding him rather badly. "C'mon Punch Bag! Get up already!" A hand yanked the dizzy Peter to his feet roughly before yet another punch to his arm knocked him on the floor again.

This was something Peter had grown used to; getting beaten up by some of the higher workers and being used, literally, as a punch bag for them to practice on. Apparently, his mother had done something rather bad just before she died and this was punishment for it. However, Peter didn't believe this. He believed they just liked to use him as a punch bag for no reason whatsoever.

But Peter put up with it. He was told that if he ever fought back, he would be punished and Peter had grown sick of punishments. So, he allowed the blows to come. After all, it increased his pain tolerance which could come in handy someday.

In the corner of his eye, he saw his boss enter with a tall man with a bowler hat and a bunch of boys; causing Peter to presume they were the visitors. Were they new workers or something? Maybe if they saw him getting beaten up they would see sense and run for it. If they didn't... well that was their bad. When yet another punch came, except this time to his temple, Peter fell down to the floor again.

The brunette blacked out for a second as the punch only nipped his temple, but it was enough for him to feel sick and shocked. "Oi!" The man in the bowler hat said as Peter gradually got up into a sitting position. "What do you think you are doing to a little kid?!"

One of the workers turned to look at the man with a smirk. "What does it look like I am doing? Playing pat-a-cake?" For emphasis, the worker slapped Peter on the cheek and the brunette scrunched up his eyes with pain. Suddenly, two arms grabbed his shoulders. At first, Peter thought it was the workers but then he realised that the hold was much weaker and not as rough. Once on his feet, Peter realised that two of the young boys had helped him to his feet; one had blonde hair and the other had darker skin.

"Are you okay?" The man asked as Peter turned to face him. Peter nodded hastily and smiled brightly; knowing he should behave for his boss.

"Perfect!"

"Are you sure? You are bleeding a bit."

"Yeah, they have beaten me up worse than this before..." Peter stopped smiling as he realised he'd said too much. Dammit.

The man put a hand on Peter's shoulder and smiled softly. "I'm James Hook but you can call me Jimmy and you are?"

"Peter. Peter Pan."

"Pleasure to meet you, Peter Pan."

X-X-X

"... I bet you can guess what happened after that," Peter said as he leaned against the wall, smiling brightly.

Fox straightened up. "So basically, you were getting beaten up for no reason when we met you?"

"That's disappointing," Slightly muttered.

Peter laughed. "So I guess that is it then... we all know each others pasts. Whose do you think was the worse?"

"Tootles!"

Tootles cringed a little as everyone said his name. "I would have said Twins myself. With Fox being the better of."

Fox scowled. "Why?"

Curley broke in, "Because you didn't have to spend hours learning the trade of pickpocketing."

Peter got to his feet and stretched a bit. "C'mon guys. Let's try getting the stove going again!" Everyone gradually got to their feet, minus Twins, and walked over to the stove. As they went, Twins murmured, "I'm bored again now."

Three days later; the pickpockets with terrible pasts went to Neverland.

The End

**And... it's over. Thanks so much to everyone who had followed/faved/reviewed this story and stuck around with it and sorry this took so long to complete. **

**Anyways, for the last time, please review and I hope you enjoyed reading 'How They Came To Be'**


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